WRONG: To understand the directions, they must be read carefully.. RIGHT: To understand the directions, one must read them carefully.. Skill Builder 3: Dangling Modifiers Directions: Wri
Trang 1WRONG: Running home from school, a dog bit me.
RIGHT: Running home from school, I was bitten by a dog.
WRONG: When only a child, my father took me to the circus
RIGHT: When only a child, I was taken to the circus by my father.
WRONG: Hidden in his pocket, George left the room with the key
RIGHT: Having hidden the key in his pocket, George left the room.
WRONG: To understand the directions, they must be read carefully
RIGHT: To understand the directions, one must read them carefully.
Skill Builder 3: Dangling Modifiers
Directions: Write a “C” on the line if the sentence is correct Write an “X” on the line if
there is a dangling-modifier error
1 Playing in the street, the truck hit the child.
2 By painting and repairing as needed, your home can be kept in good condition.
3 Before leaving, Jane kissed me goodbye.
4 Addressed and stamped, I dropped the letter in the slot.
5 While a student at college, my mother met my father.
6 Walking toward the church, the stained-glass windows looked beautiful.
7 To understand the subject, a great deal of studying must be done.
8 Skiing down the steep hill, my heart beat crazily.
9 Watching her daughter play, Mary thought about life as a mother.
10 Once learned, a language cannot easily be forgotten.
11 When only a child, my father taught me how to play soccer.
12 Studying and reading, the day passed quickly.
13 To make a good cup of coffee, one must begin with high-quality coffee beans.
14 Sitting alone in his room, the strange noise frightened him.
15 Wrapped in pretty, green paper, Phyllis put the package on the table.
Trang 2child was hit by the truck.)
needed, one can keep one’s
home in good condition.)
stamped the letter, I dropped
it in the slot.)
noticed the beautiful stained-glass windows.)
one must do a great deal of studying.)
felt my heart beat crazily.)
father taught me how to play soccer.)
passed the day quickly.)
was frightened by the strange noise.)
in pretty green paper, Phyllis put it on the table.)
ADJECTIVE/ADVERB CONFUSION
1 Adjectives modify nouns (N) and pronouns.
His recent
ADJ.
accident
N
caused a sudden
ADJ.
change
N
in his behavior
He
PRON.
is intelligent.
ADJ.
2 Adverbs modify verbs (V).
He had
VERB
an accident recently
ADV.
, and his behavior changed
VERB
suddenly
ADV.
He spoke
VERB
intelligently
ADV.
3 Adverbs also modify adjectives
He grew an especially
ADV.
small
ADJ.
tree
He was a highly
ADV.
motivated
ADJ.
young man
It was a cleverly
ADV.
planned
ADJ.
operation
4 Adverbs also modify other adverbs
She could run very
ADV.
quickly
ADJ.
NOTE
a Most adverbs
end in -ly.
b Some words
have the
same form for
the adjective
and adverb:
Adjective Adverb
late late
fast fast
(Do not add -ly to
these words.)
c The adverb for
the adjective
good is well.
Trang 3WRONG: Do it carefully, if not perfect.
RIGHT: Do it carefully, if not perfectly.
WRONG: He is an extreme pleasant person
RIGHT: He is an extremely pleasant person.
WRONG: It was an interesting designed museum
RIGHT: It was an interestingly designed museum.
WRONG: He worked hardly at the factory all day
RIGHT: He worked hard at the factory all day.
WRONG: You should order that book real soon
RIGHT: You should order that book really soon.
WRONG: My sister plays the piano very good
RIGHT: My sister plays the piano very well.
Skill Builder 4: Adjective/Adverb Confusion
Directions: Write a “C” on the line if the sentence is correct Write an “X” on the line if
there is an adjective or adverb error
1 The bus arrived lately, so I missed my first class.
2 We did not pass the test, but we certainly tried hard.
3 The train left at exactly 5:00 p.m.
4 When Ms Smith went to Germany, she bought an exquisitely carved vase.
5 They had a real good chance of winning the national competition.
6 Computers process data efficiently.
7 We worked hard and saved enough money to take a trip.
8 There was a hasty called meeting to discuss the bus strike.
9 He was thorough interested in the subject.
10 That dress fits her perfectly.
11 She likes her students to arrive prompt for class.
12 We studied really hard for the test.
13 He was bright and attractive.
14 The child ran fastly to get to school.
15 He wrote his paper really good.
16 The careful organized tour of the city was a huge success.
17 You cannot possibly imagine how embarrassed I was yesterday.
18 Although he plays soccer well, he plays tennis bad.
19 I read an interestingly written report.
20 The time went by very fastly on our vacation.
Trang 4adverb exquisitely modifies the adjective carved; however,
a similar sentence could be constructed using the
adjec-tive exquisite to modify the
noun vase ( an exquisite, carved vase)
rule 3
rule 3
note c
ADJECTIVES AFTER VERBS OF SENSATION
The following verbs of sensation are generally followed by adjectives*, not by adverbs: feel,
look, seem, appear, taste, smell, and sound.
He feels
VERB
bad
ADJ.
The soup smells
VERB
delicious
ADJ.
She looked
VERB
nervous
ADJ.
before the test
Error Examples
WRONG: Those flowers smell sweetly
RIGHT: Those flowers smell sweet.
WRONG: That loud music sounds badly to me
RIGHT: That loud music sounds bad to me.
WRONG: He looks handsomely in black
RIGHT: He looks handsome in black.
* These are also called “predicate adjectives.”
Trang 5Directions: Write a “C” on the line if the sentence is correct Write an “X” on the line if
there is an adjective or adverb error
1 I felt sadly when I read the letter.
2 That gossip sounds malicious.
3 The wine tastes awfully, like vinegar.
4 The girls look adorable in their party costumes.
5 Our neighbor’s music sounded loudly last night.
6 Laurie seemed quiet after she read her friend’s letter.
7 The roses and lilacs smell nicely every spring.
8 Do not drink that milk; it tastes sourly.
9 My sister has always looked heavy because she has broad shoulders.
10 He appeared nervously as he began to take the exam.
Answers
NOUN ADJECTIVES
The first noun (N) in the following pattern is used as an adjective
You are all language
N
students
N
a When nouns are used as adjectives, they do not have plural or possessive forms.
b EXCEPTIONS: The following nouns always end in -s but are singular in number
when they are used as names of courses or sciences: physics, mathematics,
economics.
He is an economics
N
teacher
N
BUT:
The current economic
ADJ.
situation
N
is extremely uncertain
Trang 6Error Examples
WRONG: He is taking some histories classes this semester
RIGHT: He is taking some history classes this semester.
WRONG: John turned in his term’s paper this morning
RIGHT: John turned in his term paper this morning.
WRONG: My friend is an economic major
RIGHT: My friend is an economics major.
Skill Builder 6: Noun Adjectives
Directions: Write a “C” on the line if the sentence is correct Write an “X” on the line if
there is an error in the noun adjective
1 Tom drove past the police’s station on his way to work.
2 Joan Sutherland is my favorite opera singer.
3 I need to have my car’s license renewed.
4 During the power shortage, the streets lights went out.
5 He wanted to take an economic class.
6 Many people are worried about the current world’s situation.
7 The news reporter was at the scene of the accident.
8 Phyllis and Julie put up the party decorations.
9 Three footballs teams were tied for first place.
10 Mike is the new mathematics professor.
11 We need some paper napkins for the picnic.
12 The students did not like the dormitory’s rules.
13 The marble floor felt like ice.
14 The television’s repairman picked up my television set this morning.
15 I went to three dances recitals last year.
16 John bought some leather gloves yesterday.
17 I need to buy a plane’s ticket.
18 He took many languages courses when he was in New York.
19 She put a new table lamp in her living room.
20 He is taking an advanced physic course this semester.
Trang 7X 1 (police station) See note a.
note b
note a
HYPHENATED OR COMPOUND ADJECTIVES
Nouns (N) are sometimes found as part of hyphenated or compound adjectives (adjectives of
more than one word joined by hyphens) These nouns are never plural.
I bought a four-hundred-year-old
HYPHENATED ADJ.
painting in Hong Kong
The president gave a ten-minute
HYPHENATED ADJ.
speech
Error Examples
WRONG: I lived in a two-hundred-years-old house in Rome
RIGHT: I lived in a two-hundred-year-old house in Rome.
WRONG: He bought a three-hundred-dollars suit
RIGHT: He bought a three-hundred-dollar suit.
WRONG: The teacher told us to read the five-hundred-pages book
RIGHT: The teacher told us to read the five-hundred-page book.
WRONG: I have four fifty-minutes classes every day
RIGHT: I have four fifty-minute classes every day.
WRONG: She has just bought a new four-doors Ford
RIGHT: She has just bought a new four-door Ford.